Letters to Joseph Lawrence, 1792

Descriptive Summary

Title
Letters to Joseph Lawrence, 1792
Creator
Wood family.
Extent
3 items.
Subjects
Lawrence, Joseph.
Wood, Benjamin.
Wood, Joseph.
Wood family.
Frontier and pioneer life--Kentucky--Lexington.
Lexington (Ky.)--History
Arrangement
Arrangement is chronological.
Finding Aid Author
Processed by: Archives Staff ; machine-readable finding aid created by:Eric Weig
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
The Wood family came to Lexington from New Jersey in the early 1790s. They were tailors by trade.
Scope and Content
These three letters describe life in pioneer Lexington, Kentucky in 1792. The letters, all to Joseph Lawrence of Allentown, New Jersey, are dated March 6, May 10, and June 27, 1792. Joesph Wood describes crop yields and the family's satisfaction with life in Lexington in the March 6th letter. He writes, "When the Ground is Wet [it] is about half leg deep but much Better now... When lexington was first made a Station the Women went from house to house Shuveing a Small Cannew on the mud..." The May 10 letter mentions a rumored Indian raid and notes that Lexington has "upwards of twenty large Stores... the Indians have kiled a few people on the frontiers and Stole Some horses and Negroes..." In a letter dated June 27th Benjamin Wood writes to Lawrence, whom he addresses as grandfather, and comments on the extensive building activity in Lexington, their work as tailors and the plentiful fruits available.

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